Category: Notes from Spain Podcast

Notes from Spain Podcast no. 31 – Travel Answers

Post author By Ben
Post date February 12, 2006

Thank Goodness, another Notes from Spain podcast at last! We answer questions put to us on travel and life in Spain. Here is some of the info we promised to put on the blog:

Our favourite restaurant in Madrid: Taberna Miranda on Plaza Conde de Miranda

Nice, and cheap, hotels in Spain: NH and Tryp Hotels, and in Madrid,
Hostal Barrera on Calle Atocha – 55 euros for a double, phone number: 91 527 53 81, and the Hostal Macarena.

An amazing place to visit in May is the Sierra de Aracena, and partcularly the town of Almonaster la Real (an hour west of Seville and an hour north of Huelva).

See the in-madrid.com classifieds for a place to find intercambios.

Was this podcast interesting? Please let us know in the comments below!

Technorati Tags: spain, podcast, vacations, holidays, tips

Notes From Spain Podcast no. 30! Oviedo

Post author By Ben
Post date January 29, 2006

[Download MP3]

After extreme weather driving to Oviedo, we begin in a restaurant in the centre of Oviedo, eating Fabada, a lettuce, onion and tomato salad, and ‘patatas a la importancia’ – important potatoes! I tell the story of a widow who is forced to live above her husband’s killer in the Basque country – see this Guardian article for the full story.

Next morning we visit the cathedral, where we hear a beautiful misa cantada – sung mass (the clip I play is a catholic version of what I know as the Lord’s Prayer…), and continue up into the hills outside Oviedo to see the churches of Santa Maria del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo.

The reconquest of Spain began in Asturias, at Covadonga, and the Asturians put up fierce resistance to Franco in the Civil War.

Also: we mention one of the finest mounain walks in Spain, the Ruta del Cares, the Cares Gorge. And if you are interested in teching English in Spain, check out my blog post here.

Photos: click to enlarge.

Fabada

Plaza Alfonso II

Oviedo Cathedral

Cathedral Porch

Technorati Tags: spain, podcast, Oviedo, Asturias

Cuisine from Spain Podcast Notes from Spain Podcast Spanish Food and Drink

Notes From Spain Podcast no. 29! – Pisto

Post author By Ben
Post date January 16, 2006

[Download MP3]

We’re back! It was about time for another in the original Notes from Spain series – thwarted in our attempts to get to Asturias for the weekend, we bring you another delicious cooking cast – this time it’s ‘Pisto’, the wonderful vegetable stew served with eggs and bread.

Plus we discuss whether or not the Spanish deserve their fame for being lazy, and whether or not this is truly a liberal country these days.

Something I’d like to add: a couple of times in the podcast I mention that Spain was different when I arrived 7 years ago. Don’t worry, everyone said the same to me when I arrived – Spain is always being accused by ex-pats as having been better when they first arrived. But worry not, it’s still just as magical as it was when I first got here, come and have a look some time!

The recipe: Chop up 1 corgette/zucchini, 2 green peppers, 1 red pepper, and 2 onions, and fry in olive oil until tender (about 15 mins). Add 1 large tin of tomatoes, salt, a bay leaf and a sprinkle of oregano. Cook for 15 more mins. Fry an egg and place on top to serve. Tastes even beeter after a day in the fridge!

Technorati Tags: spain, podcast, cooking, tapas

Notes from Spain Podcast

New to Notes from Spain Podcasts?

Post author By Ben
Post date January 11, 2006

Hi, if this is your first stop by Notes from Spain, then here are a few of our favourite podcasts to get you going!

How about starting with a night out in the tapas bars of San Sebastian, or a journey down the fjords of Galicia’s Rias Baixas coast. Want a step by step lesson in Tortilla making perfection? How about listening to live Flamenco in Madrid?

The full Notes from Spain archive can be found here, and details of our latest, new Spanish language podcast ‘Notes in Spanish’, here. This weekend we are off to the wilds of Asturias, so expect a couple of great new travel casts for Notes from Spain as soon as we get back.

Finally, please feel free to contact us with any feedback or ideas. Thanks! Ben and Marina.

Technorati Tags: spain, podcast

Notes from Spain Podcast

Notes from Spain hits Lonely Planet Podcasts!

Post author By Ben
Post date January 11, 2006

I started listening to the great Lonely Planet podcasts a while ago, and thought I would write to them about Notes from Spain when they requested input from listeners. And guess what? The Gastronomic Society podcast has been included in their program! Check out their ‘travelcasts’ list here.

Thanks to John at LP, Steve, Nerea and family in Zarautz, and you lot for listening, and keeping Notes from Spain going with all the encouraging feedback over the months. More next week from the North Coast!

Technorati Tags: spain, podcast

Notes from Spain Podcast

NFS Podcast no. 28 – A walk by the lake

Post author By Ben
Post date January 3, 2006

[Download MP3]


Click pics to enlarge

Well I was just walking along the lake in Madrid’s Retiro Park, and decided that it might be nice to record and comment on some of the ambient sounds on a typical, bright weekday afternoon: from fortune tellers to crisp sellers, accordion players (I remembered the name of the instrument now) and police horses….

Technorati Tags: spain, podcast, sound seeing

Notes from Spain Podcast Spanish Culture and News

Podcast no. 27 – Happy New Year!!

Post author By Ben
Post date January 1, 2006

[Download MP3]

Happy New Year! In this edition we talk about the New Podcast – Notes in Spanish – and go on to discuss New Years Eve in Spain, our New Year’s Resolutions (what are Yours? Tell us in the comments below!), and Marina’s Christmas Hamper.

Notes from Spain Podcast Spain Travel

Podcast no.26 – Las Rias Baixas

Post author By Ben
Post date December 18, 2005

[Download MP3]

Live from the Rias Baixas, the fjord-like inlets that strike inland along Galicia’s Atlantic West Coast. Starting in Carril, in the Ria de Arousa, then on to Mogor Beach in the Ria de Pontevedra, and finally to Vigo, where we watch the Ostreras preparing Oysters on the Rua de Pescaderia in the Barrio de Piedra.

Notes: Berberechos (pic above) are in fact Cockles. And if you are driving around Spain, follow the green-highlighted roads in the Michelin road atlas.

notes Notes from Spain Podcast

Podcast no.25 – Santiago de Compostela

Post author By Ben
Post date December 11, 2005

[Download MP3]

Santiago de Compostela and the Santiago Way. A walk through the old town and tapas for supper.

Includes an extract from Tim Moore’s book Spanish Steps – I’m still only on chapter 5, but very ineresting and entertaining so far, with loads of facts, history and info on the Santiago Way.

Notes from Spain Podcast Spain Travel

Podcast no. 24 – Lugo and beyond

Post author By Ben
Post date December 6, 2005

[Download MP3]

Posted from on the road in Galicia ( a wi-fi connection at last… ). Car problems and the seedy side of Lugo…. Photos coming very soon!